LEGAZPI CITY --- Determined to wage war against illegal drugs, the City Anti-illegal Drug Council (CADAC) here recently formed a special action group to intensify intelligence operations and raids against suspected illegal drug lairs.

        City Mayor Noel Rosal said on Friday last week the increasing incidents of drug abuse here have come to an alarming point following reports that 15 people from this city were recently committed to the drug rehabilitation center in Malinao, Albay, 13 of whom have been found to show sign of “psychosis” and need to be transferred to a mental institution.

         Rosal said “the drug situation here is indeed serious and I am putting pressure on it by intensifying our intelligence operations.”

        “The special action group composed of narcotic agents from the police and other law enforcement agencies will be intelligence operations and raids on suspected illegal drug syndicates, peddlers, safe houses including drug users”, he pointed out.

        The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency at the CADAC meeting held on Thursday reported that of the 70 barangays in the city 10 are either considered drug infiltrated or drug influenced areas.

        Arlene Bonavente, PDEA intelligence officer, said her agency is hot on trail against illegal drug peddlers operating in the high risk barangays of Sabang, Victory, Barriada, Pigcale, Dap-Dap, Bigaa, Oro Site, Cruzada and two other villages in the southern part of this city.

        Bonavente said Barangay Sabang, a coastal village in this city, is considered as the drop-off point for illegal drugs.

        She reported that shabu and marijuana are the frequently bought illegal drugs by drug users.

        She also said that 36 drug-related cases are presently being tried in local courts here.